By Oliver Lees
After starting his innings scoreless from his first 20 deliveries, Mick Allen admits he didn’t expect to hit the second biggest score in the history of Gisborne Cricket Club’s first XI.
But that’s exactly what he did.
On Saturday February 5, Allen opened the batting and survived all 45 overs to score an unbeaten 196 from 151 balls in Gisborne’s round 11 contest against Rupertswood in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s McIntyre Cup.
The knock, which included 22 fours and eight sixes, was Allen’s highest score in his cricketing career.
The heroic innings was enough to lift Gisborne to a score of 3/291 from 45 overs which proved too high a price for Rupo who could only muster a total of 5/142.
Allen told Star Weekly it felt good to find some form.
“It felt really good, to be honest it was out of the blue. But when it happens, you just have to make the most of them,” he said.
“At the start I couldn’t get my timing going, I didn’t get my hundred up until the 32nd over.
“It all just clicked. I don’t know how it happened, I took advantage of some average deliveries, and the last little bit was a bit of fun.”
Gisborne’s captain Jason Wilson also made a handy contribution, scoring 62 from 94 deliveries.
Gisborne now sit in third place with six wins, three draws and two losses. They face East Sunbury at home in their next match on Saturday, February 12.
